Communicating EffectivelyCreating connection
Create “water cooler” moments with your team
Create “water cooler” moments with your team
5 minutes
When you work remotely, the relationship with your team can become more transactional. This can be caused by multiple factors like physical distance, interactions limited to meetings and even different time zones.
This type of relationship can erode trust, affecting team synergy and open communication. Here are some ways to help you build trust even with a remote setup:
1
Spend time to talk about something other than work
Set a goal to spend at least three minutes connecting with each team member on something beyond work. Whether during a one-on-one, at the start of a call or through a casual chat on Teams, these small "water cooler" moments help build trust and foster open communication within your remote team.
2
Share your hobbies, weekends or random thoughts
Help them see you as someone who is more than just their boss by sharing something about yourself!
Be on the lookout for a good opportunity to talk about your hobbies, what you did over the weekend or even a random thought that crossed your mind. These small moments can help slowly ease your transactional relationship into a more relational or casual one, helping both you and your team feel at ease despite the distance.
Be on the lookout for a good opportunity to talk about your hobbies, what you did over the weekend or even a random thought that crossed your mind. These small moments can help slowly ease your transactional relationship into a more relational or casual one, helping both you and your team feel at ease despite the distance.
3
Ask questions that encourage opening up
Building a good relationship is a two-way street. Encourage your team to open up about themselves by asking initiating questions such as:
"How was your day/weekend?"
"How have you been?"
"What do you enjoy doing outside of work?"
As you gather more insights over time, your questions can go beyond simple check-ins, demonstrating genuine interest and care for your team.
As you gather more insights over time, your questions can go beyond simple check-ins, demonstrating genuine interest and care for your team.
The beginning of any remote working relationship can usually be awkward and full of trust barriers. Spend time and effort to create these “water cooler” moments — these little gestures can lead to meaningful connections, bringing you and your team closer to long-term success.
by
Hellomonday